Apparatus for cleaning gas-pipes.



F. W. C. SCHNIEWIND. APPARATUS POR GLBANINQ GAS PIPBs. APPLIOIVTIOL( FILED 00T. 24, 1907. RENBWBD APR. 23, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Wl TNESSES FREDERIC w. C. SCHNIEWIND, or Nnwroiixr, N. Y. I

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING 'GAS-PIPES,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed October 24, 1907, Serial No. 398,895- Renewed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,265.

To all whom it may concern:

'Scnnnawrnm a citizen of the United States of America, residing 1n the city, county, and

State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1n Apparatus for Cleaning Gras-Pipes, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 1ngs, wh1ch form a part` thereof.

The ob]ect ot' the` present invention is to l l I p provide simple and eifective and eiiectively disposed means for cleaning out pipes or conduits, and particularly the conduits or pipes through which are passed the volatile products produced by the distillation of coal.

The purpose for which the ,apparatus-disclosed was particularly designed is theclcaning out of the vertical stand pipes and lateral communicating escape vents and con necting pipes for the volatile products of coke ovens.

The various features of novelty which .characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a. part of this specitication. For a better understanding of my invention. however, and the advantages possessed by it, reference may b e'had to the accomj panying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described one of the forms in which my invention may be embodied.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a large capacity coke oven structure equipped with the improved pipe cleaning mechanism. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic 'plan showing the arrangement of the various escape and connecting pipes of one complete coke oven structure and the cleaning mechanism therefor.' fFig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the construction and arrangement of one of the cleaning devices and its supporting and driving connections.

In the drawings, A represents the tirebricki Walls of the ovens proper, A the masonry supporting shell surrounding thel masonry A, andA2 the removable top wall of one of the retorts AK At each end of each retortare formed a plurality of 1nclined escape vents or passages for the volatile products of the co ing o ration. The upper one of these vents lea s from the extreme upper end ofthe retort and the others from lower levels.- Clogging of the lowerv 'ends of the two lower vents at each end of y the retort is prevented by the forebays' A5.

At the outer ends of the vents AJ are provided stuiiing boxes B into which extend pipes B', which are connected at their upper ends by ball and socket joints B2 to the vertical stand pipeB3 for that end of the retort, there being one of these stand pipes at each end of each retort. The lower end of the stand pipe B3 dips into a receptacle B4 into which the portion of the volatile products which condenses in the stand pipe -may flow. The lateral extension of each main pipe B3 is preferably sloped as indicated at B6 so that the condensed material will not tend to obstruct the lateral connec tion.

The upper end of each stand pipe is supported by a portion D3 of the metal structure D at theside of the masonry.' The upper end of each stand pipe B3, in the form shown, is connected to a connection C, and the connections C are in turn connected to a pair of parallel mains C and C Valves C3 provide for the connection ofthe upper end of eachtstand pipe to one or the other of the mainsG and C2 as may be desired. It will be understood that thejmain C and C2 may be one a rich gas main and the other a poor gas main, and the valves of each connection are operated accordingly as the gas passing into the connection from the pipe B3 is rich or poor.

Above the connections C the structure D supports a pair of parallel lower track rails upper rail D2 running above the inner rail D". A carriage E, khaving its wheels E running in contact with the rails D and D? as shown in Fig. 1, supports the cleaning mechanism proper. This mechanism includes a vertically moving cleaner E9 an'd three cleaners H are supported tg move in a direction parallel to the vents A3 and pipes B.

The cleaners H are supported in a frame comprising vertical members F and F3,`;in clined tubular members F4, horizontalmembers F5, and bearing members F andF2. The rameis supported by the bearing mem'- bers F and F2 which are mounted onthe extension El4 of the main platform of carriage E and a lower platform E15 supported by the brackets orl ties El". The connection between the tubular members F4 and the vertical frame member F isforined by gear casings G, each of which has journaledin `D running at the side of the battery and an g l n 1o' shape.- 4Tothe upper end. ofl each shaft H3" -a-sW-ivel connection H is attached. A -cord it spiral gear K. I The gear K -has keyed to it a hollow sleeve H provided at one end IWith a bushing H2 through which passes the4 operating shaft `H3 of the corresponding cleaner H. The shaft H3 and the bushing H2 are non-rotatingly butslidingly connectl ed. For instance, the shaft H3 may be square or hexagonal in'cross section and the hole lin the bushingv H2 through which the shaft-is freely 'movablelongitudinally of the same or other flexible connection F10 runsfrom veach swivel Hover pulleys F11 secured t0 frame member F3 and a pulley F12 securedl to the frame at the upper end of the frame member `F. 'From thepulley F12 the cords pass' to a'winding drum 4F9 journaled'in th' 'main frame member F and rotated through' suitable intermediate Vgearing by a Worm F8 carried by'theshaft F7 of a vertical electric p motor mountedon thebearing member'F.

The shaft Ff passes through gear case extensionsl GrA jof the gear casel G, and within each of saidfiextensions-carries a Worm gear (not shown) meshing VWith the correspondy, ing gear K, so that the motor F rotates the,A

cleaners `H and also moves them in the direci tion inivhich their shafts H3 extend. The' carriage E also supports ia motor E2 which through a chain or other gear between its `shaftand one of the'a'xles of' the` carriage l propelsthe latter alongthevtrack rails D and D ivhen;,necessary. It also supports a v35.

motorfjlil', which is geared to the shaft E5 v'ofthe Winding drum E for the cord or other -`flexible connection 'El0 connected to the upper end of the'shaft Es of the cleaner E2.

vvThe cord El? runsgover' the pulley El1 mounts, 40v

` E12 which extends upwardjfrom the gear jcasingE7 and guides the shaft/Einf the veri ed on the upper end of thetubular member ticall'y movable cleaner E9. l`G`rearingflocated in the casing E7 and "driven by the motor E* rotates the cleaner shaft E?.V `It will be understood that the connectionsfor rotating and moving the shaft E8 longitudinally are {simi- -.lar to those for operating the inclined cleaner f the'l stand pipeBs, the carriage is moved in fthe proper-positionv to bringv the cleaner gEg over the'pipeBs. -to be cleaned, and the t motorE1 is set'i'n". operation, the eoverC5 Inoperationf-,When it is desired ltocleanI Abeing removed to permit the entrance of the then* rotates V'the cleaner E9, which may be inv the form of a spiral cutter or other known v",cleaning device, While at the 'same time '-"through the-Windingjdrum E5 and cordE10 it; controls the descent of the cleaner. f When `the cleaner'has moved to the bottom of the stand'- pipe` v :may be brought back to K, thetop by *simply reversingthe motor. Of course, /itffwill vbe understood that suitable erases it is desired to Withdraw. the cleaner without -clutxzhing mechanism may beA interposed if rotation or .while rotatingin the direction in vwhich itis rotated in `descending. The material scraped off the inner wall,of the pipe B3 ofcoursedrops to the receptacle B4.

yThe `operation of the cleaning pipes B" and vents A3 is analogous to that ofv clean- `ing'the pipes- B8. The cleaners H are entered through'the suitably placed openings in the stand pipe B3 Whichrare normal y closed by the covers B", and the cleaners are then fed through thepipes B and vents A? to the inner ends of the latter. The solid matter scraped off the pipel and vent Walls falls to the bottom of the A. coking retort. While the purpose of providing fortheball joints B2 and stuiiing boxesB is to permit cfa change of osition ofthe vents A3 and the pipes B re ative'to the stand pipe B3, `produced by contraction and expansion as thev temperatures of -the Darts change, it

will bev understood thatl such movement is not great enough to materially affect the alinement of the pipes B and the vents A, and shafts H3`,are suflieiently flexible so' that no diiic'nlty in' the operation of the cleaning devicejis experienced thereby. The rails D and D2 may extend all the Way around tht` battery, as shown in 'Fig'. 2,* so that one cleaning machine may be employedto clean all'the vents and passages of the battery, or of course there may be a. cleaning machine at each-side of the battery. -By preference, the members F and F2 are pivotally supported on-the4 platforms E14 and E15 so .thatthe frame of the inclined cleaners may when they are of the screw type. 'The' cords, therefore, merelyregulate the descent of the cleaners` though serving to positively With-l draw them on thereturn movement. It-Will be observed that with the flexible means controlling the advancing movement of the cleaners thaty if any one, cleaner is temporarily cheeked in its. forward movement as `by a local excessive accumulation ofmaterial in the pipe cleaned by it5'such checking lio will Anot interferer With the operation ofthe other` cleaners.

No claim onthe general construtction of' the retort or of the top door or wall thereof lis made herein, as s uch features are claimed -inmy co-pending applications Nos. 398 902- date and 398,904, respectively, filed of even herewit i erases and lateral Vpipe cleaners, shafts carrying said cleaners and mounted in said bearings and axially movable therein, the lateral pipe cleaner carrying shafts extending at an angle to the main pipe cleaner' carrying shaftand mechanism supported on said structure for `rotating said shafts andy conf trollingr their axial movement.

2. A machine for cleaning a main pipe and lateral connections thereto,psaid machine vcomprising asupporting structure, bearings` carried by said structure, a main pipe cleanerand lateral pipe cleaners, shafts carrying said pleaners and mounted inl said bearings 'and axially movable therein, the lateral pipe cleaner carrying shafts exte1iding at an angle to the main pipe cleaner carrying shaft, mechanism supported on said `structure for rotating saidshafts and controlling their axial movement, and means for moving the lateral' pipe cleaner shafts bodily about an axis parallel tothe main pipe cleaner shaft.

3. In a pipe cleaning machine, a frame comprising a plurality et tubular'members, a pipe cleaner shaft extendii'ig into and pro jecting from each of said tubular members, means for rotating said shafts while permitting them to move axially in said tubuvlar members, and means for controlling the axial movement of said shafts in said tubular members.

4. In a pipe cleaning machine, a frame comprising a plurality of tubularmembers, a pipe cleaner shaft extending into and pro jecting from' each of said tubular members,

means for rotating said 4shafts While permitting them to move axially in said tubular members, and means for' controlling the 'axial movement of said shafts in said tubular members, said means including a flexible connection foreach shaft, each connection entering the corresponding tubular memberl at one of itsL4 ends and being connected to its shaft Within said tubular member, and Winding mechanism to which all of said flexible connections are connected. A

5. I\n\a pipe cleaning machine, a supporting xframe, a plurality of pipe cleaning shafts journaled in said frame,'mechanifsn1 for rotating said shafts and for regulating their .movement in the direction of their lengths, said mechanism including a single motor on/,said frame and operating connections fromfit to each shaft for rotating the latter and fory controlling its longitudinal 6. In a p ipe cleaning machine, a carriage,

4ria

' cleaner shafts,

a" frame supported thereby, a plurality of pipe cleanin shafts j ournaled in said frame,` mechanism or rotating said shafts and for causing them to move in the direction of their lenvths, and means for moving said frame bodily with respect to said carriage.V

7. A coke oven construction provided with parallel inclined passages leading from each coking chamber, and stand pipes into which the lconnections from the retort enter, 'in combination with a carriage provided with a vertically movable cleaner for cleaning the stand pipes and inclined cleaners forfcleaning the inclined passages, and operating connections for the cleaners.

8; In combination with a coke oven structure having a plurality of stand pipes and. a plurality of branch-pipes connecting each stand pipe to the interior of the coke oven structure, each stand pipe having removable covers, one in line With and on the opposite side of the stand pipe from each of said branches, a carriage, a track supporting the latter and permitting. it to be moved into the positions to operate on the branches from-the various stand pipes, a plurality of cleaner shafts, one for and adapted to be brought into -alinement With each of the vbranch pipes of a single` stand pipe, z bearl.

ings for said shafts supported by said cari g5.

and means for rotating said shafts an means tor giving them a regulated movement in the direction of their lengths to cause them to enter the branch pipes through said openings in thenmin pipe.

9, In combination with a coke oven struc-l ture having a plurality of stand pipes at one side and a plurality of connections from each stand pipe to the interior of the coke oven structure,each stand pipe having a removable cover, one 1n line with, and on the opposite side of the stand pipe from, each of said branches, a carriage, a track supporting the latter and permitting it to be moved into the positions to operate on the branches from the various stand pipes, a plurality of one for and adapted to be brought into alinement with each of the branch pipes of a single stand pipe, bearings for said shafts supported by said carriage, means for rotating said shafts, means for giving them a regulated movement in the d1-. rection of their lengths to cause them to properly enterthe branch Ipipes through said openings in the' main pipe, each stand pipe having'a removable top cover, and a vertically movable and vrotatable cleaner shaft supported by said carriage andA niov ablel into each stand pipe through'its upper end when the top cover'is removed.

10. In a pipe cleaning machine, a frame comprising a pair of side membersv and a lurality of tubular cross members connecting said side members, cleaner shafts,one projecting from each, tubular member, a 130 bular cross members Vconnecting Vthe side members, the connectionbetween one ofthe side members and the tubular members being formed by gear cases, a driving shaft eX- tending :through said gear cases, cleaner shafts, one extending througheach gear case into the corresponding tubular member, and

gearing in each gear case for connecting the drivin@ shaft andthe corres 'ondin cleaner shaft.

12. In apipe cleaning machine, afframe comprlsing a pair of side members and tu'- bular cross members connecting the. side members, the connection between one of. the

side `members and the ,tubular members being formed by gear cases, a driving shaftextending through said gear Icases, cleaner shafts extending through the gear cases int'o the corresponding tubular members, caring in each gear case for rconnecting the rivingv shaft and the corresponding Cleaner shaft, and a motor supported by the frame for' rotating said driving shaft, a windingmecha'- ported by said frame, and a leible connection running 'from said winding mechanism to eahcleaner shaft, each flexible connect1on-enteringl the tubular member. guiding the corresponding cleaner shaft at the endA to the gear casing.

13. In a pipe cleaning machine, a frame of the member remote from that connected comprising a pair of side members and tubul lar cross members connecting the side members, the connectlon between one of the slde formed by gear cases, a driving shaft ex- ,members and the tubular members ,being tending through said gear cases, cleaner shafts extending through thegear cases into* the corresponding tubular member, (rearing member remote from" that connected to gear casing, and a carriage towhich said frame is connectedand from which said side frame :normally extends at an angle, the connecting means between the frame and the 'carria e permitting-the former to be `.swungv ar'oun to the side of the carriage., nism also driven byv said motor. and-sup- FREDERIC W. c. scuNIEWrND.

f i ROBERT C.` METCALFE, 

